Add a twist to your job hunt

Tough economic times are looming on the horizon because of the crisis in Europe and sluggish recovery in the United States.

In such times, the search for jobs becomes more difficult as companies cut back on hiring.

But by adopting smart strategies, it is still possible to find jobs. Here is some advice to help you move faster on the road back to employment:

Be relentless

No matter how bad the business downturn is, there are jobs out there. All you need to do is to find yourself one. If you are flexible, organised, and relentless in your approach, you won’t remain unemployed for long.

Understand the reasons

Mass unemployment is a phenomenon that results from major shifts in the economy. You, as an individual, are in no way to blame for circumstances that affect a great segment of the population. Do not take it personally and, above all, do not waste a minute complaining.

You cannot change factors that are causing the loss of thousands of jobs in certain locations or sectors of the economy, but you can move away from those and, instead, seek a job in areas where you stand much better chances.

Go where the money is

If companies in the field where you have been working for the last 10 years are going bankrupt one after the other, you would certainly want to move to greener pastures. The same principle applies if you reside in an area whose economy is in a shambles.

Don’t waste your time trying to land a job in companies that are falling apart. You have better things to do than seeking to get aboard The Titanic, now and for the rest of your life.

Cast your net wider

Don’t post your curriculum vitae on just two websites, but on 20. If that doesn’t work, then try another 20. Call up 10 companies per day, ask to talk to their human resources manager and pitch your skills. If that does not work, call another 10.

Looking for a job is a tedious chore, but if you have to do it, you might as well give it all you have. The faster you get it done, the sooner you can go back to normal life.

Make an irresistible offer

As a result of your active search, you will be invited for interviews. If you really want the job for which you are being interviewed, chances are that you will get it if you manage to convince the other party that you are reasonably competent and extraordinarily motivated.

A big company might be too bureaucratic to appreciate your willingness to go the extra mile, but a small-business owner will be delighted to hear your plan to lower his risk of hiring you. Here are some examples:

If the laws of your country allow it, offer to work for a token salary during a certain period, so that he can see how great you are.

If you are looking for a job in a 24/7 operation, propose to work on the shift that nobody wants.

If there is a location where nobody wants to go, volunteer to work there temporarily.

In some cases, this approach will bring no results, but sooner or later, an employer won’t resist the temptation of accepting your offer. Use your flexibility to get your foot in the door. As soon as you have regained employment, you can go up from there.

If you have the drive and curiosity to be reading this, I have little doubt that you will do what you need to do. Focused thoughts and relentless action constitute the rational approach for finding a job, or in general, for achieving anything of value. May your job search be short and your success, spectacular.

Article by John Vespasian. He writes about rational living and is the author of the books, When Everything Fails, Try This and Rationality Is The Way To Happiness. His stories reflect the values of entrepreneurship, tolerance and self-reliance. See http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com, a blog about rational living. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Vespasian